Children of the Sea
by Rae-Prite
Summary: It's the summer after TLO and Percy's just trying to enjoy camp without a prophecy hanging over his head. All that flies out the window when two new demigods show up at camp. Who's their parent? Is there trouble on the horizon? Oh most definitely *Temporary Hiatus*
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, hello! I'm Rae, obviously, and this is my second PJO story :D If you've been reading "That's My Seaweed Brain" I hope you enjoy this story just as much, and be assured that I'm not giving up on TMSB, just that I had another idea flying around my head which needed to be put out there... in case you were wondering, this is it ;D_

_This story takes place after "The Last Olympian" – it's possible that this could have happened after the Prophecy of Seven was fulfilled, or we could say that the prophecy won't happen for a whole other lifetime (like Annabeth and Percy speculated at the end of TLO), either way works for this story. It's the summer after the Battle in Manhattan, Annabeth and Percy are dating, and Nico's been hanging around camp more to take part in the counselor meetings – guess he got fed up with Persephone and Demeter's complaining about him hangin' around the Underworld ;)_

_The basic idea for this sprung from a conversation between Poseidon and Percy at the end of TLO: _He grinned. "You're doing well with those new cabins, by the way. I suppose this means I can claim all those other sons and daughters of mine and send you some siblings next summer."

"Ha-ha."

Poseidon reeled in his empty line.

I shifted my feet. "Um, you were kidding, right?"

Poseidon gave me one of his inside-joke winks, and I still didn't know whether he was serious or not. "I'll see you soon, Percy. And remember, know which fish are big enough to land, eh?"

_Intriguing, no? lol Anyway, I hope you enjoy and if you enjoy, please review – they make me so happy and a happy writer means faster updates! ^_^ *cough* hint *cough, cough* ;D Onward!_

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter 1**

The whole thing started during the first week of summer. It seemed normal enough actually. The events that led up to one of the craziest summers of my life to date weren't all that extraordinary. I was totally clueless to what would happen over the months when I arrived at camp. By the time I left, my life had changed forever. You're probably sitting there thinking, 'what happened _this_ time Percy? Did you start _another_ war?' Well, no, not exactly. Er… Let me explain.

It all started when I stepped into the Big House's living room, looking for Chiron. However, in the centaur's place, I found Grover speaking to someone through an Iris Message. I thought about calling out to ask who he was talking to, but something stopped me. Instead, I inched forward quietly to listen.

"…They've been lucky so far, the monsters have been few and far between. I think their father has been shielding them somehow, because they live so close to his territory. It's the only way these girls are still alive," A voice on the other end of the IM reported.

Grover nodded, looking a little nervous. "Are you sure about their father being…?" he trailed off suggestively.

The other person, who I figured must've been a seeker satyr, said, "Yes, positive. There's no doubt in my mind... But, of course, we won't know for sure until I can get them to camp and they're claimed."

"How old are they?" Grover asked.

"Thirteen. They don't quite believe me or their mother yet, I can tell. They still think it's all a big joke… not that I blame them," The seeker added, almost as an afterthought.

"How soon can you get here? How are you traveling? I hope you're not thinking of…"

The seeker interrupted hastily. "No! Of course not, do you think I'm stupid? We're taking a boat and we'll be there in two, three days time with luck."

Grover apparently chose to disregard the disrespectful tone the satyr had used. "Don't count on luck, Jasper. With demigods – especially the kind you're escorting – there is no such thing. Trust me I know, I've been around this type of half-blood for a long time," the Lord of the Wild rubbed his temple, as if he was getting a headache just thinking about it. I found the gesture mildly funny, considering satyrs don't get headaches.

"I'll do my best, Grover, I promise. I'll make you and the counsel proud. These girls are in good hands," Jasper vowed.

Grover nodded and sighed. "I send my blessing with you. Pray their father and the other gods will be in a good mood as you journey north. The last thing we need is another Thalia Grace incident."

Jasper chuckled wryly. "I'll be sure to tell her you said that when I get back."

"If you want to keep your seeker license and your horns intact, you'll do no such thing!" Grover warned, looking panicked even as he tried to sound stern.

"Oh, would you look at the time? I've got demigods to escort! See ya, boss!" Jasper waved his hand through the Iris Message and the mist dissipated.

Grover sat back on the couch and groaned. "That satyr is going to be the death of me," he muttered. Seymour the leopard – a parting gift from Dionysus when he went back to Olympus – growled, obviously wanting a treat. Grover ignored the magical stuffed head and got up from the couch, turning towards the door.

Thinking swiftly, I ducked into the medical ward, and pressed my back against the wall. A part of me thought I was being stupid, but another part was kicking into high gear. Given the information I'd obtained, it was a good possibility that these new demigods were children of the Big Three. Why else would Grover be so worried, or mention Thalia? What was it he said? That there was no such thing as luck around this type of half-blood – that had to mean they were probably at least Big Three material, if not the real deal.

I also had to wonder why no one had told me that these kids were coming. I was a camp counselor now, just like Annabeth, Clarisse, Travis and Connor Stoll, and any number of others. Being the oldest, and only, member of the Poseidon cabin put me in line for all kinds of extra stuff like that, not all of which was very fun. I could have helped get these girls – there was apparently more than one – to camp. I at least should have been notified they were coming. If they were Big Three, they'd need all the help they could get.

Then again, maybe Grover was keeping things on the down low. That way, if the gods didn't suspect yet about the kids' parentage, they wouldn't know until they were at camp. Despite the pact being abolished, the idea of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades having kids was still a sore subject among the Olympians. If the girls were thirteen that meant they were born before the pact was dissolved, which could still put them in danger.

But, maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe they weren't Big Three. Jasper had said that they hadn't been attacked by a lot of monsters, so it could be they were actually children of another god like Apollo, Dionysus, Hephaestus, or Ares, or even a minor god like Hypnos. There would be no way to tell until they arrived at camp and were claimed.

I couldn't help but send a prayer to my dad, asking him to keep the mysterious new campers and their seeker safe as they journeyed through the sea god's territory. Through the open windows of the infirmary, a sudden fresh breeze of salt air drifted in and filled my senses, assuring me that my dad was listening.

Deciding firmly to put the whole scenario out of my mind until the group arrived, I left the Big House – first making sure that no one saw me come out and that Grover had already disappeared – and went to the sword arena. I needed something to keep myself busy, and having gone the whole semester this year with no monster attacks – a record for me – I'd fallen out of practice.

Still, as I clashed swords with some of the campers from Hermes cabin, I couldn't help wondering who these girls would be, and how they would affect the rest of the summer. One thing was for sure, it was going to be an interesting year at camp – it always was.


	2. Chapter 2

_So? What'cha guys think? Worth your time? It must be – you're still here aren't you? ;) Okay, so I don't know if anyone is actually enjoying this – only one favorite so far, not a single review in sight. Can't blame you of course, this is starting out sluggishly slow unfortunately, even by my tastes so sorry :p Things do pick up a bit after this though so not to worry :) Anyway, thanks to my favoritor, er favoritar…favoriter? Oh I don't know – you get what I mean. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review to give me your opinion. As always, onward! :D_

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter 2**

Three days later, I'd all but forgotten about the IM I'd overheard.

I taught canoeing and swimming lessons at camp now, helped the younger kids with their pegasai riding, and was one of the leading sword instructors. I was busy a lot these days.

In the early mornings, before the rest of camp was up, I'd go for a run along the beach so I could have some time to myself. Breathing in the heady salt air as my sneakers pounded the sand and the ocean churned next to me always cleared my head. The endorphins also helped my mood quite a bit.

I'd use the time to think of things that I normally didn't have time for. How my Mom and Paul were doing – they'd gotten married last spring; or how for the first time I'd be attending the same school twice for the next semester – my senior year, I could hardly believe I'd made it; or how every day I felt myself falling a little more in love for Annabeth.

On that note, half of me wondered if Aphrodite was up on Olympus running around singing 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning' while Athena chased her with a giant Greek dictionary. The love goddess had been trying to get Annabeth and me together since we were twelve, while the wisdom goddess had been resenting our relationship for the same amount of time. Don't you just love family?

Everything in my life seemed to have fallen into place. Kronos was gone, his essence spread so thin that it was likely he wouldn't reform a consciousness for another couple thousand years, meaning I'd be dead by then and wouldn't have to worry about it. Camp was surprisingly peaceful this summer, even with new campers straggling across the borders with monsters right on their tail.

Sure, there still was the occasional squabble that had to be broken up. It was usually between Hermes and Demeter as Connor and Travis continued to prank the other cabin ruthlessly. Although, I got the feeling it was more than just fun for Travis, who'd been smitten with Katie Gardner since the war. But, otherwise, nothing overly exciting had happened yet.

We were still only in June, so that peace probably wouldn't last. If it did, it made me wonder what on earth we'd paint on the end-of-summer beads. Peace symbols like from the cover of my Mom's old record albums? That seemed more bizarre than even the bead Annabeth had from the year the Party Ponies visited – I'd finally been told the story behind that, and wow I'm glad I wasn't there for it.

Oh well. Whatever the beads ended up being, I just hoped I'd be there to paint them. I've had the track record of almost dying before summer's end since I was twelve, last year being a perfect example.

I slowed my run to a light jog, and then to a walk, starting my cool down. The sun was rising, and I knew I had to get to my cabin for a shower before the breakfast conch sounded. Oddly, I got a sudden feeling of gloominess wash over me at the idea of breakfast, even as my stomach growled. No matter how many changes came to camp, or how many new cabins and campers were added, I still ate alone at the dining pavilion. Not even Annabeth could sit with me.

I usually tried not to let my only child status bother me, but sometimes I couldn't help feeling envious of my friends. Aside from Nico and Thalia – who was visiting with the Huntresses while Artemis was on Olympus – I was the only one in camp who didn't have siblings to squish into a cabin with. Tyson was so busy in my dad's army and at the forges that he didn't visit as often as he used to.

I thought back to a conversation I'd had with my dad last summer before I'd gone home to start school. He'd said something along the lines of needing to send me some siblings this summer, though he must've been kidding. Even if he'd started going on a few dates with someone immediately after the pact was dissolved – which didn't sound like my dad at all – those kids were just infants, or not even born yet.

By the time I'd meet them, I'd probably have my own litter of toddlers running around. The thought of having my own kids made my cheeks burn, and I was thankful of my already flushed face from running even if no one was around.

Annabeth and I were definitely not at that point yet.

Just as I turned to head back to the cabins, I heard something a little unusual, the engine of a speed boat cruising up the coast. Now, don't get me wrong, it is the Long Island Sound. Boats and ships pass by our beach every day, but never as close as this boat sounded.

I shrugged mentally. It was probably some mortals out for a trip on the Sound who got lost. They'd be forced to turn around because of the magical borders in a second.

When the boat didn't veer off course, and actually seemed to be getting closer, I stopped and turned. Sure enough, a sleek two engine speed boat was racing straight towards the camp's beach. There were two figures standing in the prow, still too far away for me to make out clearly.

I was tempted to run and alert Chiron that we might have trouble brewing – nothing got passed our borders without express permission of someone inside camp. Yet, I was also tempted to stay and fight whatever was coming, maybe even use my powers over the ocean to push the boat back out to sea. Then something, I'm still not sure what, made me stop and analyze the situation more.

The boat was coming up to the beach at a breakneck speed. They'd likely crash if they didn't slow down. Nonetheless as I watched, I realized why they weren't slowing down. Behind them, occasionally popping up above the water before slithering back below the surface was a creature that I'd only seen a few times and it was still scary as Hades – and believe me, I'd know. It was a long, green, serpent-like creature that I'd encountered in the Sea of Monsters. The serpent hissed and made a horrible screeching noise as it followed the boat, loud enough that I was certain the whole camp was now awake.

Making a quick, impulsive decision (I'm famous for those), I used all my power over water to keep the creature away from the boat and Camp Half-Blood. I stepped into the surf, making swirling motions with my arms, pulling the serpent into a whirlpool, one that only pulled it in and not the boat.

The monster snarled its displeasure of being pulled out of its chase for lunch and into the whirlpool, looking like a toy churning around the drain in a child's bathtub.

The boat's occupants, seeing that the monster was preoccupied slowed their speed, and approached the beach. The sea serpent, dizzy and annoyed with the unwanted carousel ride, managed to free itself of the current I'd created and swam forward doggedly.

Fortunately, the distraction had been timely, and just as the boat crossed the boarders into camp, the sea serpent caught up and slammed into an invisible wall. The creature roared angrily and shot boiling hot water out of its mouth. Clearly, it was pissed at missing out on a free lunch. It swam along our coast for a few minutes, trying to find a weak spot in the magical borders, before finally roaring once more and with another splash, disappeared beneath the waves.

I let out a sigh of relief. I didn't want to admit it, but creating that whirlpool had taken a lot out of me, considering I'd just finished a five mile run before the boat had shown up. Even standing in the surf, letting the ocean strengthen me, I was still a little worn-out.

Turning to the boat, I saw that it was less than five yards from the shoreline. A good percentage of the campers were just appearing over the sand dunes, wondering what all the noise had been about. I ignored them for the moment, and instructed the tides to carry the boat safely to the shore and beach it. The ocean obeyed, lifting the haul of the ship up and onto the sand, gently securing it in place.

I came over to help the occupants out of the speed boat, several people following my example, including my girlfriend, Clarisse and most of the counselors. The Stoll's weren't there and neither was Nico, all probably still asleep.

"Percy? What on earth is going on?" Annabeth asked her curly hair still in a tangled mess from sleeping. She looked adorable in her PJ's, but I decided to keep that thought to myself.

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure. This boat was coming up the sound, headed for the beach, and I assumed it was some lost tourists or something. Then I saw the sea serpent following them, and decided to help. Other than that, I'm not entirely sure what's happening either," which was partially true.

Sometime in the middle of keeping the monster stuck in the world's biggest drain, I'd remembered the conversation Grover had with one of his seekers, Jasper. This had to be the demigods the two satyr's had been discussing that day. I was hesitant to share this thought with Annabeth right that second as the whole camp would've heard me, and given that I wasn't supposed to have heard that conversation, I kept the information to myself.

Approaching the boat, I could finally see that the people who were standing behind the wheel were two teenage girls, and on the long seat behind them, bleeding in a few places and moaning about food was Jasper. The girls looked no older than thirteen, and had to be sisters, if not twins.

They had the same unruly black hair, green eyes and tan skin. The one on the left had longer hair pulled into a long messy braid, and was wearing a skirt, leggings, flip-flops and a baby tee. Her sister had her hair cut short and pulled into two small ponytails; she was wearing dark cargo pants, a tank top, arm warmers (although it was seventy already and it wasn't even noon yet), and skater shoes.

Some of Annabeth's siblings helped the girls from the boat, and while several of the nicer kids from Aphrodite fussed over their messy hair and grimy clothes, two sons of Hephaestus pulled Jasper out and held him up. From the state the three were in, it was obvious the trip hadn't gone as smoothly as Jasper had promised. Grover and Chiron suddenly pushed through the throng of campers, telling us to step back.

Grover and a handful of tree nymphs took charge of Jasper, with my best friend instructing the stuttering younger satyr firmly that the whole story could be told once he was better. The group moved towards the Big House, no doubt going right to the infirmary. I hoped Jasper would be alright.

He was a little naïve and very young for a seeker – younger even than Grover had been when he found Thalia and Annabeth – but he was so hopeful and bright, that Grover couldn't refuse him the job. He probably saw himself in the young satyr. Frankly so did I. All Jasper needed was a Rasta cap to finish the look.

Chiron suddenly whistled piercingly to get everyone's attention. Stamping his hooves wouldn't have been very loud in the sand, I guess. "Everyone please, I know that you're all very excited to be welcoming new campers, and at the, erm, circumstances that they arrived under, but please calm down. Our guests are probably exhausted from their long journey, and will need time to recoup before they can join the activities for the day."

Chiron eyed the girls warily, which immediately put me on edge. I'd helped them make it to camp – had I voluntarily assisted monsters in disguise? I scrutinized the girls once more, trying to see if the Mist was concealing something about them; extra limbs, scales, horns, fur, anything of that nature. But there was nothing. They were just two normal looking preteens. What was Chiron afraid of?

The old centaur scanned the crowd, his eyes finally settling on me. I shifted uncomfortably. I liked Chiron – he was like another father to me – but when he looked at me like that, his three-thousand-year-old eyes probing and searching, even I was a little uncomfortable.

Eventually, Chiron said, "Percy, I would like you to take the girls to the Big House, show them the orientation film, and then be their guide. Show them around camp, and make sure they know all the rules. Can I count on you?"

"Um, sure Chiron," I said, trying to hide my uncertainty.

It sounded like a routine job – no different than what Annabeth had done for me five years ago – but Chiron made it sound like he was entrusting me with a dangerous mission; like I was guarding the Apple of Discord or my father's trident.

They were just two teenagers, what could be dangerous about that? Then I did a mental face-palm. They were demigods, _of course_ they were dangerous.

"Good," Chiron looked slightly relieved. Before I could question the emotion, he turned to the rest of the campers still standing around gawking. "Everyone else, please return to your cabin and get dressed for the day. Breakfast will be soon, and you all have activities and chores afterward," he reminded them.

There were a few half-hearted grumbles over why I got to hang out with the new kids, or how I was so lucky, before everyone dispersed. Annabeth was the last to leave. She smiled and kissed me, making a pleasant warmth spread from my lips to the rest of my body. "Have fun, Percy. Try to be nice," she told me, much like how a parent would speak to a small child.

I rolled my eyes. "When am I not nice?" I asked.

She gave me a look.

"Right, well, see you at breakfast?" I said quickly, rubbing my neck and hoping my face wasn't red.

She smiled. "Of course, Seaweed Brain." She gave me one last kiss, threw a cautious glance at my wards and then disappeared over the dunes. I sighed contentedly before remembering I had an audience. I turned to the girls, who were staring at me.


	3. Chapter 3

_Well, another day, another chapter :) In case you were wondering, no I don't actually write this fast. I have several chapters already written up of this story, but not the whole thing – I'm trying to test the waters and see if this story is worth writing by the response I get._

_I am pleased to see I have two reviews for this story now :D Thanks to Kiransomers and Confused-Sprite who were my first reviewers. To answer your review, Confused-Sprite, you don't know that for sure yet! :smirks::winkssecretively: Lol yes there is that – things will get interesting, that's for sure :D_

_Anyway, thanks for reading guys, I appreciate it a lot B-) If anyone is reading this who's been following That's My Seaweed Brain, sorry for the delay in updating – my parents and I have been having a difference of opinion on what I set as my priorities :rolleyes: believe me though, the next chapter is coming soon, just not sure when. Thanks for understanding. As always, onward!_

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter 3**

"Um, hey, I'm Percy Jackson," I offered lamely.

The girl in the skirt responded first. "Hi. I'm Raven Donaldson. This is my sister, Reggie." The skater sister gave me a mock salute.

"Reggie?" I asked. I'd never heard of a girl named that.

Reggie frowned. "It's a nickname," she said shortly. Obviously it was a touchy subject, not that I could talk. Few people here knew my real name was Perseus for a good reason.

"Well, it's nice to meet you guys," I smiled. I looked down, suddenly realizing I was still sweaty and gross from my run. "Um, I'll take you guys up to the Big House in a minute, but first, I need a quick shower. Do you mind?"

Raven shrugged in an easy going manner. "Took us three days to get here, what's another ten minutes?" Reggie didn't respond, maybe still steaming over the name thing.

"In that case, follow me," I said, and turned to head up the beach back to my cabins. As we cleared the dunes and got back into the middle of camp, I heard the girls pause and gasp.

"Whoa," muttered Reggie.

"No kidding," Raven agreed.

I chuckled. Camp had that effect on people; even with everyone still either asleep or just getting dressed, the camp was impressive, plus Annabeth's redesign of the cabins didn't hurt. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, girls."

"Jasper was telling us about this place, but I mean, wow, he didn't even scratch the surface!" Raven exclaimed.

"It is pretty cool," Reggie admitted begrudgingly.

"You'll like it even more once you get the full tour. But first, I reek," I admitted with a sheepish smile. I led them to cabin three. All the while they stared at the strange mix of buildings, and the campers who were running around getting ready for the day.

I stepped inside, and heard the girls gasp once more. I couldn't blame them, Poseidon's cabin was awesome – of course that could be me being biased. "I'll be just a sec, make yourselves comfortable," I offered before snatching up a fresh set of clothes and heading into the bathroom.

After a quick shower and running a towel through my hair, I came back out, stopping short in surprise. Reggie had found my Minotaur horn and was examining it closely, while Raven was ooh'ing over my repaired salt water fountain. Tyson really could work wonders.

"Uh, I'd be careful with that horn – it's sharp." I warned.

Reggie looked up and frowned. "It doesn't look like the horn of any animal I've ever seen. What animal did it come from?"

"Actually, that's the horn of the Minotaur. I killed it when I was twelve… and again last summer, but that horn is from the first time," I said slowly, not really expecting them to believe me.

Sure enough, Reggie snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, and Jasper's a satyr and Chiron's a real centaur. We've heard that story enough times coming up from Florida."

I rubbed my neck, unsure how to answer them. I could remember when I was in the same boat as they were. I didn't believe the crazy story I'd been fed either. Their mom must have kept this world a secret from them too, just like mine had. Not a bad idea, really. As soon as you knew you were a part of this world, the monsters knew too and you're chances of dying a horrible, painful death went up like a hundred and fifty percent.

"Why don't I take you guys to see the orientation film?" I finally suggested. "It can explain things better than I can."

Reggie shrugged indifferently and put the horn back on the shelf above my bunk. Raven looked more reluctant to leave, having enjoyed playing with the water in the fountain. We left the cabin and walked to the blue mansion we called headquarters. Once inside, I led the girls in to the movie room and set up the film, then came out to the living room to wait until they were done.

Grover, Chiron (in wheelchair form) and two of the best healers from the Apollo cabin were just leaving the infirmary as I came out.

"Is Jasper going to be okay?" I asked.

Grover nodded, looking tired. "He'll be fine, but he's exhausted. He needs a lot of rest and good tin cans to get better. He won't be back on his hooves for a couple of days."

"That's good," I agreed as the healers left.

Chiron pursed his lips. "Indeed. And how are our newest campers?"

"I set up the film for them, but I don't think it'll make much of a difference. They're pretty skeptical, even with seeing Jasper, Grover and you in true form," I replied.

Grover nodded. "Jasper mentioned that they were having a hard time believing – even all the monster attacks hadn't deterred them. Raven seems to be coming close to realizing the truth, more than Reggie at least." He shrugged as if saying, 'demigods, what can you do?'

"I can't say I blame them. I had a hard time coming to grips with this stuff too. It's not easy to just say, _'oh, so the gods are real and they're my parents – alright, cool, no problem'_. It takes time to sink in," I said.

I thought back to my first few days a camp. Even after seeing my mom turn into gold dust and killing the Minotaur, I still had trouble trusting what my eyes had seen. Of course, once I did believe, I got over it and accepted my life for what it was now quickly enough – crazy gods and all. Still, I couldn't help remembering something Luke had told me on my first day, _'even after you start believing, it doesn't get any easier._' I hated to agree with Luke on anything – dead or not, hero or not – but he was right, it wasn't any easier.

"You certainly have a point, Percy," Chiron agreed, "which is why I wanted you to be the girls' guide to camp. They will need assurance from someone who has been in their shoes before, who can relate to them more than anyone." The way he said it, I got the feeling he was talking beyond just accepting that they were part god and would have to fight monsters.

"You guys think they're Big Three kids, don't you?" I blurted, unable to stop myself.

Grover and Chiron exchanged careful glances. "How did you know that, Percy?" Chiron asked.

I shifted from foot to foot, "I, uh, sort of overheard Jasper's Iris Message to Grover the other day. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop. I had only been looking for Chiron, but, well…" I trailed off.

Grover shot me a sour look. "I thought I felt someone's nervous emotions in here. I wasn't sure though and I was too distracted to think about it. How much did you hear?"

"Just that Jasper was sure Reggie and Raven were children of the Big Three, and you wanted him to get them here as fast as possible." I frowned suddenly, remembering a part of the conversation that hadn't made sense at the time and I'd just dismissed it. "Why didn't you want them to come in a plane? It would've been faster than a boat."

Grover paled and even Chiron looked mildly uncomfortable. "Uh, well…" Before the satyr could finish, the film room's door burst open with a bang.

"Okay, this has officially gone too far!" Reggie exclaimed, storming out to the living room. Raven followed, her expression was shell shocked rather than annoyed like her twin's.

"Do you seriously expect us to believe this, this – crap? You're out of your minds!" Reggie yelled. Her fists were clenched so tightly they were shaking.

"Reggie…" Raven said quietly.

Her sister raged on, oblivious to anyone's pleas for her to calm down. "Centaurs, satyrs, Cyclopes, gods, monsters, demigods – this is nuts! You all ought to be locked in rubber rooms!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the flower vases around the room shaking. That wouldn't be weird if I thought the girls' godly parent was Demeter or even Dionysus – but everyone thought they were Big Three. Plus, it wasn't the flowers themselves that were shaking. It was the _water _in the vases.

"Reggie, please calm down!" Raven entreated more insistently.

She'd noticed the vases as well – I think the only one who hadn't noticed was Reggie. From the panicked look on Raven's face, I got the feeling this had never happened in the past when her sister got mad.

Before any of us could react, the vases exploded. Water went everywhere; on the furniture, the few electronics we kept, on Grover and Chiron, even Seymour the Leopard wasn't spared and he yowled indignantly at the unexpected bath. When the water stopped flowing, I looked around at the damage.

Unsurprisingly, I wasn't wet – a perfect circle of dry floor was around my feet. What was surprising was that neither Reggie nor Raven had gotten wet either. They had circles of dry floor around them as well.

Why did I suddenly have a really bad feeling about this summer?


	4. Chapter 4

_Okie-dokey, this is chapter four… clearly, but I just feel like pointing out the obvious. Hmm, what to say about this chapter? Well, little bit of a tour, bit of a back story… yeah, that's about it. Not very long, but I like it :) Thanks to Confused-Sprite and Kiransomers for reviewing, and to answer C-S's review, you're probably right but oh well, I like my story as is HoO or not :) Alrighty, let's get movin', onward! :D_

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter Four**

After cleaning up the Big House's living room, Chiron insisted that we continue our tour of camp. I didn't see the point, but I went along with it. The truth was I was too freaked out to really give the camp justice. I think the girls could tell my heart wasn't into it as we walked around and I showed them everything at camp that I loved so much.

We went to Rachael Dare's oracle cave; she was in the middle of painting, but she happily showed us around and answered questions. Next were the woods, "never go in alone," I warned them, "especially at night and never without a weapon". This was followed by the dining pavilion; I told them they had to sit with your cabin mates and offer the best portion of your meal into the brazier for your godly parent – I purposefully avoided the question of what you did when you didn't know who your parent was.

We examined the cabins, all dedicated to a god and was for that god's children to live in, the arts and crafts building which Raven seemed to like the idea of, the sword arena which perked Reggie up a little, the archery range (I had to pull Raven back before some cocky Apollo kid could pin her to a target by her clothes, then both girls had to hold me back as he claimed it would've given them plenty of time to 'get to know' each other) and the forges, "never work without the supervision of someone from Hephaestus or a counselor". I decided not to add that Olympus didn't exactly have liability.

After that, we stood on the dock to the canoe lake, Raven asking a lot of questions while Reggie stood silently by, probably still stunned by the vases incident. "Those are naiads at the bottom, they're mostly friendly, but if you make them mad they won't hesitate to try and drown you," I told them. Raven looked a little disturbed at that, while Reggie smirked morbidly. I chose not to ask.

Unfortunately, even the beach wasn't as cool to show off, although it gave the girls time to grab some duffle bags from the boat that had their stuff.

We moved back towards the cabins to get them settled with the Hermes cabin until they were claimed. It would probably happen sometime tonight, perhaps at the bonfire, or so I told them in an attempt to keep things upbeat. Raven quietly walked alongside me, matching my long stride while Reggie fell behind with her expression still sullen.

"Are you mad?" Raven asked after a long time.

I glanced at her. "No, I'm not mad. Just have a lot on my mind," I said eventually.

"Reggie didn't mean for that to happen," Raven told me, obviously worried that her sister was in some kind of trouble. "I don't think she realized what she was doing."

"She probably didn't," I replied but left it at that. There was an idea forming in my head. It was growing and building at an alarming rate, even as I tried to fight it off. I didn't like it one bit. The implications alone….

"I think she's just held onto the idea that our dad would come back for so long, that now that she knows he won't…" Raven trailed off, her expression sad and a little resigned. My heart went out to her. I knew what it was like to want your dad to come back and know deep down that he never would.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," I said quietly. "I really am. Believe me I've been in your shoes before. It's not easy to accept at first." I snorted softly, "sorry to say it doesn't get any easier."

"How long have you been here at camp?" Raven asked.

I pulled my necklace out from under my shirt. My four clay beads glinted in the morning light. "Four, almost five years," I said. "We give out beads to every camper that survives the summer at the end of the term. The pictures represent the most important event of that summer."

"Can I see?" Raven requested tentatively.

I nodded and took off the necklace, handing it to her. She examined the pictures minutely. "A trident, a mini Golden Fleece, a maze, and… what's this one?" She pointed to the final bead, the one I'd gotten last summer.

I felt my expression darken a little as my mood dipped. "That's the Empire State Building. The Greek words etched around it are names."

"Names of what? Or who?" Raven asked, perplexed.

"That's a story for another day," I hedged. I took back the necklace and put it on.

"What's the significance of the trident?" She persisted. I guess she wasn't going to let the necklace thing go after all.

"That was my first summer at camp," I said with a shrug. "It was a pretty big deal for everyone. It was the first time someone like me had come here." I waited for her to get it, not wanting to look like a show off.

Her eyes widened. "Your dad is Poseidon?" She exclaimed.

I nodded.

Reggie seemed to perk up a bit at that news. She came closer to listen.

"Omg, that is so cool!" Raven said, looking like she wanted to bounce around in joy. "Our mom is a Marine Biologist – we grew up around the ocean our whole lives. The sea god as your dad… that must be so amazing!"

I smiled, "In a way, yeah… in other ways though, not so much." I held back a wince as my mind thought of how many times I'd come close to death in my short life only because of who my father is. I lost count quickly.

"Can you control water? Can you turn into a sea creature, like a merman? Can you surf really well?" Raven fired the questions off left and right.

"Yes, I can. No, but I can breathe underwater," I laughed at the last one, "you're the second demigod to ask that, and I can honestly say I've never really tried; your guess is as good as mine."

"Do you see your dad a lot?" Reggie suddenly asked. Her tone was quiet, resigned and yet the slightest bit hopeful.

My enthusiasm dropped significantly. "Not really. My dad's busy, just like all the gods. He's got a whole ocean to run, plus the rivers and lakes to keep track of, so he doesn't have a lot of time to spend with me. I could technically go and visit him in his palace, but I doubt his immortal wife and son would like that much. I have enough godly beings who don't like me, I'd rather not add to the list. I've only met Poseidon a handful of times, and always briefly."

"Does he care about you?" Reggie asked seriously.

I took a moment to think about it. "I think so. He's helped me a lot over the years, particularly whenever I was on a quest. He told me he was proud of me, but you know how parents are – they have to say that kind of stuff. Still, the fact that he claimed me in the first place was a big deal at the time. Back then, the gods hardly paid attention to their demigod children – some campers waited years in vain for a sign of who their parent was. Now, they have to claim us by the time we're thirteen, it's a rule."

I ignored a rumble of thunder that rolled across the clear sky. Zeus and the other gods had sworn on the River Styx, making the claiming a binding rule. If they didn't like it, tough tides, they couldn't take it back now. And really, was it so hard to do? I think they would've had a harder time living with me as a minor god forever – though Ares had seemed enthusiastic. Hmm, eternity with not only Ares, but also Athena, both of whom want to kill me. And they wondered why I turned them down….

"Do you think our dad will claim us?" Raven suddenly looked less excited, and more worried. Couldn't say I blamed her. I felt the same way my first week of camp, hoping every night that in the morning, my father would notice me and care enough to call me his son.

"You guys are thirteen, right?" They nodded. "Then don't worry about it. If you don't get claimed at the bonfire tonight, you'll probably be claimed within the next couple of days."

"If he wants to claim us at all," Reggie muttered darkly.

Raven gave her a sharp elbow in the ribs, and her sister glowered back defiantly. We'd reached the Hermes cabin by now. Reggie disappeared inside with her bag and her sister's, her face sulky.

Raven sighed. "You'll have to forgive Reggie. She's always been a pessimist, but she means well. I think it's her way of coping – she says it keeps her from feeling disappointed."

I'd never been a touchy-feely guy, but I couldn't help putting a comforting arm around the younger girl. "Hey, like I said, don't sweat it. Things will work out. You'll have fun here at camp, and your dad _will_ claim you."

Raven still looked doubtful, so I added on a whim, "How about this, I promise if he doesn't, that I'll go to Mount Olympus and bang down the door until I get _someone _to claim you guys as theirs?" What the heck – I figured I'd done crazier stunts before. Besides what was the worst that could happen? I mean, aside from dying.

Raven smiled tentatively. "I'll say a few words at your funeral if you do," she joked halfheartedly.

I grinned. "You do that."

I checked my watch. Since, I lost my other one fighting Kampê Tyson had made me a new shield watch. This one was magically designed to come back to my wrist if I lost it, just like my pen. It was complete with illustrations of all the monsters I'd defeated. Medusa, the Minotaur, Antaeus, Polyphemus… you name it, I'd fought it and it was now on my shield. It wasn't as good as my old one, but the fact that my brother went to the trouble of making it meant a lot.

"I gotta go. Sword class with Aphrodite and Hecate cabins," I rolled my eyes. "If the Aphrodite kids don't kill me with their whining over broken nails, the Hecate kids will with their magically enhanced swords. Oh well, at least I'm not training the Nike kids."

Shuddering, I bid farewell to an amused looking Raven and jogged to the arena, our conversation still swimming in my head. What did it all mean? I needed to talk to Annabeth.


	5. Chapter 5

_I'm back folks :) Thanks again to Confused-Sprite and Kiransomers for reviewing B-) You guys keep me going with this guys. This is the last chapter I have written up already, so the update probably won't come until next week – sorry :blush: Thanks to everyone who's read, alerted and favorite this story. As always, onward! :)_

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter Five**

"I don't see what the problem is Percy. Hiyah!" Annabeth grunted, parrying my sword and thrusting her dagger towards my abdomen.

"The problem is I'm worried," I replied as I deflected with my shield and sliced downward towards her exposed neck.

"Why? What's there to be worried over? They're just two new kids, no biggie." Annabeth dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way, coming up on one knee to try and stab my calf.

I twisted around and slammed her wrist with the side of my sword, moving it off target so it missed my leg by several inches. "But it is a big deal, Annabeth. What if they're… well, see, I've been thinking…" I shoved my shield at her, trying to force her to fall.

"That doesn't sound safe," Annabeth went with the motion of the blow, flipping backwards until she was once more on her feet. She stood in a defensive stance for a moment, her knife held towards me, breathing hard. She pushed a few stray curls that had come loose from her ponytail behind her ear.

"I'm being serious, Annabeth," I retorted, watching her wearily as we circled each other. "I heard something a few days ago and it was confirmed this morning. Chiron and Grover think the Donaldson girls are daughters of one of the Big Three. I – I'm starting to think that maybe…" I trailed off with a sigh, deactivating my shield and touching the tip of my sword so it shrank back into a pen.

Annabeth watched me, her gray eyes reflecting surprise as I sat down and ran a hand through my hair, ending our sparring session. I couldn't fight and keep up a conversation this complicated at the same time. My girlfriend sheathed her blade, grabbed two bottles of water from a table and sat down next to me. I took the bottle she offered me, downing half of it in one gulp.

"Thanks," I told her.

"Of course," she replied, kissing my cheek even though I was sure I was all sweaty and gross – again. "Now, what's your idea? What are you so worried about?"

I looked around the deserted sword arena, making sure no one was around. Even though my theory probably wouldn't pan out, I still was wary of voicing it, afraid I might jinx it. The Fates loved screwing with me after all. Plus, I didn't want this information getting out around camp. No reason to cause panic if it wasn't justified.

Reassured there was no one there, I turned to Annabeth and found I had her full attention, making me feel a little better. It was times like this that I really loved having her as my girlfriend and my friend. "I think… I think the Donaldson's are daughters of Poseidon," I murmured, keeping my voice low.

Annabeth tilted her head, her eyes narrowed. "What makes you think that?"

I explained the weird incident in the Big House with the flower vases, as well as the full details of the Iris Message I overheard. Annabeth listened silently, her eyes holding that calculating look which always made me a little nervous because I knew she was coming up with a plan. Her plans tended to get me either A) almost killed, B) doing something really embarrassing or C) seriously injured; sometimes a combination of all three.

When I got done, I waited for her reaction. Surprisingly, all she did was nod. "It makes sense. They avoided a plane flight and kept to the ocean. They're powerful but know next to nothing about the magical world, which means their mother kept it a secret. They even look like you," she added.

I frowned, shaking my head. "No they don't."

Annabeth shook her head and chuckled, like she usually did when I said something stupid. "Yes, they do, Seaweed Brain. Same beachy tan, same black hair, same sea green eyes… face it, they're dead ringers. Although they're less athletic than you are, softer and more hour glass shaped. That's probably from their mom."

I shook my head. "I don't see it."

"Of course you don't. Your head is too full of kelp," she retorted.

I gave her a sour look, "Ha ha. You're hilarious. Now can we focus here?" I demanded, running my hands through my hair. "This could be a disaster."

"Why? Because being a kid of the Big Three is dangerous?" Annabeth asked, but continued before I could respond, "Or because you're going to be related to them?"

I stared at her. "What? That's – that's nuts! Why would that bug me?"

"Maybe because you're mad at your father over the whole situation," my girlfriend suggested gently.

"Mad at him?" I gave an involuntary nervous laugh, even as I tried to keep my expression and tone incredulous. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, it is," I gritted out, glaring at the grass between my sneakers, like it was responsible for my growing doubt. "I don't have a problem with Tyson," I said, trying to throw her off. Which is impossible frankly – she is Athena's daughter.

"But you did at first," She reminded me unhelpfully.

"I got over it," I reminded her.

"Sure eventually," Annabeth agreed, nodding. "At first, though, you were mad at your dad. You were angry because he fell for someone else, someone that wasn't your mom. That's why this bothers you."

I wanted to argue with her. I wanted to adamantly deny what she was saying. I wanted to say it didn't bother me in the least. But I couldn't lie. Not to myself, and definitely not to her.

"I just… I thought it would be a long time before there were more kids in the Poseidon cabin. I thought I'd already be in college or something by the time my dad had other demigod children. I thought…." I trailed off with a sigh, shaking my head. "I don't know what I thought."

Annabeth pulled me into a side hug, her face snuggling into my neck. "It's okay that it bothers you. We all go through it. All of us want our parents to get back together. We want to think we're _that_ special and so are our mortal parents. That we're so important the Olympians would move heaven and earth for us."

"The thing is," I said hesitantly, pulling back to hold my girlfriend at arm's length. I stroked her cheek softly with my thumb pad. "My mom once said that Poseidon claimed he'd do just that for her. He wanted to build a palace for her at the bottom of the sea, so he could keep us both safe; he said he'd stop the tide for her."

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment and sighed derisively, "and I believed it too. I always did," I muttered bitterly.

"Oh, Percy," Annabeth murmured, pulling me in for another tight embrace. "Your dad loves you. I can see it in his face every time he looks at you. And he did love your mom – you're here, aren't you?"

I snorted. "Yeah, _did_ being the operative word." I shook my head, "I'm sorry, I'm just tired. I need time to process this."

She pulled back enough to capture my lips with hers. We kissed for a long soothing moment. We held there for several lingering seconds, tasting each other, before we finally pulled apart the rest of the way. "You don't even know if they _are_ your half-sisters. They could just as easily be Nico's, or even Thalia's. Don't assume anything yet. Just wait until the bonfire tonight and deal with whatever happens then. That's my advice."

I smiled. "Have I told you lately that you're a genius?"

She smirked. "Not lately…"

I pulled her closer and kissed her deeply again, running my fingers through her curly hair. As she ran her hands across my shoulders and back, I felt my worry slipping away. She was right, as always. I was over thinking this. I would wait until they were claimed before I considered my next move. And when the time came, I wouldn't panic.

Or at least, that's what I told myself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Um, hi! *ducks to avoid a flying mouse and keyboards* Uh, yeah I probably deserved that – I apologize for the delay on the update *glances and grimaces at the date* the very **_**long**_** delay. Erm, anyway, thanks to the new reviewers and readers. I apologize that my plot is as see through as plastic wrap, but this is going to be a relatively short story compared to my other PJO tale, so forgive me for slacking off :o At any rate, let's get on with it, shall we? :) Onward!**

**Children of the Sea**

**Chapter Six**

That night after dinner, I nervously watched the Donaldson girls from the corner of my eye while the rest of the camp sang along with the Apollo kids. The fire was burning a bright, hot blue – not as cheerful as normal but at least it was my favorite color. Then again, maybe that was an omen for what was about to come.

We finished the lyrics to "I Am My Own Hercules" – I'd personally disliked the number ever since Zoë Nightshade's death, but I hadn't bothered trying to get the rest of the camp to ban it. They'd never be able to understand the problem behind it – they weren't there that night as I watched Artemis's lieutenant dissolve into star dust – so I grinned and bared it in silence… though perhaps without the grinning.

Chiron stepped forward and raised his marshmallow stick, making it look a lot nobler than it should have. "To the gods!" he declared.

"To the gods!" We echoed raising our own sticks, before scatters of cheers broke out here and there.

Raven looked really excited and happy as she clapped, laughing when one of the Stoll brothers said something in her ear. Meanwhile Reggie looked on with a bored, borderline miserable expression. Clearly one of them wasn't so quick to forget that this was when they would either be claimed or not. I felt Reggie's pain more clearly than she'd ever know.

Chiron smiled and stamped his hoof a few times until we quieted down. "Tonight, we celebrate more than just good times and a full summer still ahead of us. We have new campers to welcome as well!"

The camp broke out in fresh cheering, the fire burning more purple than blue now. I caught sight of Raven blushing in the firelight, while Reggie merely shifted uncomfortably. Well, that was one more thing I could add to our list of similarities – they didn't like the limelight either. Gods this was looking bad.

Silently I sent a glare in the direction of the sea. _You're killing me here, Dad,_ I thought. A fresh breeze of salt air tickled my nose, irritating me more. _Okay, now you're just playing with me, _I rolled my eyes in the darkness.

Chiron's voice broke me from my thoughts. "Welcome to Raven and Reggie Donaldson, our newest campers. We hope you find friends here at Camp Half Blood – friends and allies. We will all endeavor help you to adjust to camp and to start your training as heroes. And it is my hope as camp and activities director, that your godly parent claims you soon, although I thank the Hermes cabin for extending their hospitalities."

There was another round of cheers and applause, and the Apollo kids smiled, picking up their instruments to begin another song. Then everything changed.

A bright, blue-green glow washed over everyone, overpowering even the color of the fire. I whipped my head around, and saw what I'd dreaded all day. Two spinning, glowing tridents hung above Raven and Reggie's heads, the color matching perfectly with their shocked eyes. Mine as well.

"Way to make a statement, Dad, though advanced warning would've been nice," I muttered, finding myself standing up from my seat.

Chiron got over his shock first, "Hail, Raven Donaldson. Hail Regina Donaldson. Daughters of Poseidon." He knelt and the rest of camp followed.

Eventually, I dropped to one knee as well. Raven and Reggie looked around nervously, before focusing on me with questioning looks. I gave them a wry smile, "I told you'd be claimed tonight." Then I frowned, "Regina? Really?"

'Regina' glared. "Got a problem with that, Perseus?"

PJOxCOTSxPJO

"So, you're saying we're what, half sisters to you?" Raven asked slowly, from where she sat on a bunk in the Poseidon cabin later that night.

"Basically," I called from the bathroom, washing my face before I went to bed. Demigods didn't usually get ache because of our godly genes, but I needed an excuse to get myself under control before I faced my new siblings – and the water was working wonders to soothe my nerves.

I stared at my reflection for a long moment before letting out an inaudible sigh and toweling off my face. I came out to find Reggie on my bed, once more examining my Minotaur horn.

"You seem to be obsessed with that thing," I commented, taking a seat on the bed beside her, grabbing my pen with the thought of cleaning it. It really needed a good sharpening, but that could wait until tomorrow.

Reggie looked up, appearing embarrassed. "I guess I'm just still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that all this is real." She fingered the tip of the horn, which still had a few spots of dried blood on it, though I'd tried to clean it all off. You never knew what kind of diseases monster blood carried – I'd hate to die from Minotaur AIDS or something.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Believe me, there are still days when I wake up at home and think, 'did I dream everything?' Then I see my sword and it all comes crashing back that it's very, very real." With that, I uncapped the pen and grabbed a rag off the bedside table.

Both girls jumped in surprise.

"Whoa!" Reggie muttered.

"That was so cool!" Raven exclaimed.

I half smiled. "Girls, meet Anaklusmos," I said proudly, catching the looks of wonder of the girls' faces in the gleaming Celestial bronze.

"Ana- what now?" Raven asked.

"Anaklusmos," I repeated, "it means…"

"Riptide," Reggie said. Then blinked, looking confused. "How did I know that?" she questioned aloud.

"All demigod brains are hardwired to be able to speak, read and translate Ancient Greek," I explained, "that's why most of us are diagnosed with dyslexia – the English words swim off the page because it's not technically our native tongue. We can even understand a bit of Latin, but we're not as fluent in it."

"Really?" Raven said, sitting on my other side. "What else can we do?"

"Didn't the orientation film cover this?" I asked, feeling like I was in the spotlight.

"No," Reggie replied. "Don't you know that?"

I shrugged. "I never saw the film."

"How come?" Raven inquired.

"They said it wouldn't help me. Apparently being a kid of the Big Three – as they suspected I was from the beginning – made the film null and void in my case." I smiled ironically.

I think it would have actually been really beneficial if they'd just showed me the darn thing in the first place. Would've solved a lot of questions I kept asking much quicker than the painful answers I'd been dealt.

"What does that mean, anyway? 'A kid of the Big Three', I mean," Raven raised an eyebrow.

I blew out a breath and shook my head. Where to start? "Basically, the Big Three are the elder gods, the three sons of Kronos; Zeus, lord of the sky, Hades, god of the underworld, and our father, Poseidon the sea god. Being one of their children is a big deal – we're more powerful, and more dangerous than other demigods. We attract monsters like no tomorrow, and unfortunately, we usually have the worst luck."

There was a pause as my sisters – that was still really weird to say, or even think – let that sink in.

"That sucks," Reggie said eventually.

"Like I said earlier, it has its ups and downs," I recapped Riptide, having finished cleaning the blade, and put it back on its table. "Not all of it is bad though."

"What could possibly be good about attracting monsters?" Reggie scowled skeptically.

"Well, that part isn't so hot," I admitted with a wince. "'Course it does give you trophies like that horn when you win the fight with them," I gestured at the horn, "but still it's not much of a consolation prize. Not even becoming a legend in myths a thousand years from now really makes up for the scrapes, bruises and near death experiences."

"Then what's the point? Why do you all bother trying to be heroes?" Raven murmured doubtfully.

I looked up at the ceiling and thought about it. I'd considered the brainteaser before, and never come to a concrete answer. "I guess… we do it partially because it means survival, partially because we want to make our parents proud, and partially because if we don't do it, it could mean the end of the world."

Raven and Reggie exchanged looks.

"The end of the world?" Raven whispered.

I gave a world weary sigh and tried to smile at my new sisters. "That's a story for another day. Come on, let's get to bed. We have a full schedule of activities tomorrow, and I am not going to teach you guys Pegasi riding when you're dead tired."

Seeing that they weren't going to get me to say anymore, the girls sighed, and got into their respective beds. I flipped off the light, the glow of the fountain bathing the abalone walls in blue.

I climbed into bed, pulling the covers up and closed my eyes tiredly. It had been a long day.

From the darkness, I suddenly heard a sleepy murmur, "Night, Reggie. Night Percy."

"Night Raven… Night Percy." Reggie answered.

I smiled. "Night girls."


End file.
